Spiral of tragedy after fall at Arbroath cliffs

Nobody could have foreseen that a walk along an Angus beauty spot would end in two brutal killings in a Dundee housing estate.

But the murder of Julie McCash, 43, and the slaying of David Sorrie, 32, were the end result of an earlier tragedy.

Autistic teenager Ralphie Duffy had been out for a walk with his father on the Arbroath cliffs on Saturday February 25.

After running ahead of his family he fell from the cliffs and was swept to sea.

A huge search operation was launched, but with hopes fading, friends and relatives of Ralphie’s mum Nicola Duffy gathered in Drumlanrig Drive to offer their support.

As alcohol flowed and Class A drugs were consumed the vigil spiralled out of control and into violence.

Tempers frayed, and by 6am, less than 24 hours after Ralphie’s disappearance, two people were dead.

Shortly before 5am, Lee Mary Kinney, partner of murderer Robert Stratton, began arguing with guest Wendy McKinney and was asked to leave.

She claimed she was beaten up outside and fled to her home with Stratton.

A short time later, Stratton, 43, was seen on the street carrying kitchen knives.

He then stabbed Julie McCash before killing David Sorrie.

Witnesses described how they sought to stem the blood flowing from Julie’s wound.

Stratton told the court he feared he and Ms Kinney were about to be attacked and lodged a special defence of incrimination and self-defence.

After the murders he put the knives in the kitchen sink and phoned police to say he “had done something bad”.

He handed himself into Police

As alcohol flowed and Class A drugs were consumed the vigil spiralled outof control and into violence.

Scotland’s Tayside Division headquarters later that day.

But that was just the beginning of months of anguish for the grieving family who lost three loved ones that February weekend.

It was another month before Ralphie’s body was finally discovered, when a dog walker found the teenager’s body on the beach at Victoria Park.

Now, seven months after the tragic event of that February weekend, the killer of Julie McCash and David Sorrie has finally been convicted and sentenced to 23 years in jail.

But the grieving continues. On September 14, the day Stratton’s trial began, Nicola Duffy posted a picture of her son Ralphie, Julie McCash and David Sorrie.

It bore the caption “Family love RIP”. She said: “Love you three so very much and miss you every minute of every day.”

Picture: Jane Hamilton. Ralphie Duffy fell from the cliffs at Arbroath while out walking with his dad in February.